Asking for Acceptance
by renegadesoul4
Summary: They both had finally come to terms with their feelings, but when their great day is coming closer, they feel the need to talk and remember their parents.


She didn't understand why she had a feeling she had to go there, but she found herself in that cave once again, 17 years later.

The hidden room inside the caverns was something she didn't quite get the first time, she didn't have the time to dwell on it because she was saving the world with her friends. Even the second time was chaotic enough to let her mind wander about it.

But now everything made sense and, with a sudden nostalgia, she felt the _need_ to go there again, alone. Maybe it was because she was nervous for an incoming event, or maybe because it was something _new_ for her — or maybe she wanted to make herself known to them at least once. Not even in the Feymarch these things were explained nor mentioned to her. Finally coming to terms with her feelings about a certain ninja was causing more trouble as time passed by, but the happiness she felt was all worth it. She had to let them know that…

"I never would have expected to see you here." His often snarky tone was changed to one of true surprise. She turned to see him standing at the entrance of the room. He had removed his scarf down so she could know what he truly meant with only expressions.

"Hey, Edge..." Rydia said with a shy smile and shrugging one shoulder in nervousness. "I thought I should come here before tomorrow, you know…?"

He chuckled and went to step beside her. "What? Did you think you had to do something special to marry a ninja?"

"Not funny." She frowned and crossed her arms, averting her gaze to look at the gravestones in front of them.

Rydia thought it would've been great to meet them properly, get to know them and talk familiarly at some point. Maybe she could get some sort of advice on how to rule a kingdom or assurance that everything was going to be fine for both of them... but they were on their own.

"...Before you came to stay officially, on my last visit to Mist I visited your mother's grave, too," Edge said with a nostalgic tone. She saw a sad look on his eyes as she turned, surprised. He looked like there was something else to say so at her reaction, he continued. "I feel the same way as you do. I don't know what we should do or what we should've done. They're not here to guide us through traditions and manners and that stuff each our people have and… honestly? I feel lost and confused about that. I know I have the Seneschal, but it's not the same."

Rydia listened intently and carefully to him. He meant every word, and she knew why he had decided to put his scarf down. Edge based his techniques on emotions, and giving them away by showing his face was his weakness. But him being that open with her was just another sign he trusted and loved her, because she understood part of those feelings he used for his power were for her, while the other part was for his parents. Finding herself comfortable with their silence, she took her time to come up with a reply for what he said.

"Maybe this is our way for those traditions or maybe…" She hesitated and without looking, took ahold of his arm. "Maybe we just miss them, because we could have known them."

"Maybe..." He pondered for a minute before adding with a grin she knew all too well, "But I know they would have been delighted with you."

" _But_ my mother would have been very suspicious of you." She chuckled and pushed him playfully aside. "Kind of obvious, considering you're a ninja, and the way you acted in our journeys… If she had gotten to know you, I'm sure she would have understood-" She cut herself off on purpose out of embarrassment, but she knew Edge got what she tried to say when he took her hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Mine would have understood, too… Even though my mother would have been all like 'son, consider yourself lucky because knowing how you are, she would have rejected you on sight!' Which you kind of did all these years…" He dropped his voice with an annoyed tone as he finished but smiled, looking at the graves again.

Rydia chuckled, slightly shaking her head at his comment. "Mine would have said something like this: 'He must have done something with his ninja tricks to get you to marry him!' It's kind of funny when I think about it…"

He frowned, confused, and looked back at her, but all he saw was a nostalgic smile on her lips. Every time he stared at her like he did at that moment, she knew she had done something to captivate him, even if she didn't know exactly what. So all she did was laugh lightly at his expression.

"What now, Edge?"

Before he said anything, he shook his head. "'She better keep up with our ninja lifestyle, so I hope she gets used to it soon!', my father would say."

"Would he really say that, or is that your pride talking?" Rydia raised an eyebrow, not really surprised.

"Who do you think I learned from?" He grinned, moving his arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

"...Really?" she scoffed, although a slight smile could still be seen on her face.

"Really." He leaned in to kiss her, but she kept their distance with one hand on his chest as she cleared her throat and nodded to the side. He sighed, defeated.

"You really have no shame."

"Can you really blame me? I will have no regrets."

Edge pulled her close once again and gently took her chin in his hand so she didn't struggle again, but she had no intentions to do so. In fact, she just put her other hand on his neck and returned the kiss.

"I think we just wanted to stop being so free and out of control for once," he said afterwards.

"What do you mean?" She tilted her head in confusion, still dangerously close to him.

"We are so used to doing what we want and living how we please, that now our wedding is here to remind us how… how chaotic we are without them." He looked at the graves, still holding her by the waist.

"...Who are you, and where's Edward Geraldine?"

"Seriously, Rydia? I meant it!" He frowned at her, quite offended.

"I know you do! It's just not often that you get so deep." She chuckled, grabbing his scarf and pulling him for another quick kiss. "I actually think so too, now that you say it like that."

Rydia knew Edge had quite a fiery and quick-to-spark personality and attitude, but that, whenadded to his ninjutsu, proved to be a great power. Now knowing him better, everything about him didn't seem to be frantically chaotic anymore; it was fiercely calculated, like it would go out of control sooner or later, but the results were still the expected.

She wasn't the same as before, either. Edge knew her magic was calm and focused, but even though she still chanted spells so gracefully, the explosion of elements she called forth to battle were powerfully, _beautifully_ out of control.

They both knew. The power, the mysteries and secrets — and yet, it wasn't enough for them. They both knew how dangerous it is to be so free like they were.

"I would have loved to meet them properly…" She reluctantly let go of him, to stand side by side.

"Same for me with your mother, too…" He sighed but quickly got back to his proud and sarcastic tone. "I bet she wouldn't have let these 17 years go by before we could be together. Even your Eidolons gave me their blessings!"

Rydia rolled her eyes with a smile. "You don't know that, and don't get the Feymarch into this! ...But I doubt your parents would have let you visit Mist as much as you did."

" _You_ don't know that." He grinned and chuckled sadly. "This is what they left us, if's and would-have-been's."

"As long as we remember not to lose ourselves, I think it will all be fine." She bowed her head to the graves for respect before walking back to the entrance. "Come on, we still have things to do, and Cuore must be wondering where we are."

"You were the one who came here in the first place..." He muttered loudly enough for her to hear. "I wonder what they would have said of her."

"I bet they all would have liked her too. You know, grandparents and all that." She smiled sadly then added as an afterthought, "Also, I was about to leave when you came and interrupted me."

"After all that you had in mind? I highly doubt it."

"My mother would've teached her magic, yours would have teached her Eblanese, do you really think they would have let her learn ninjutsu…?"

Edge threw his arm around her shoulders, chuckling and kissed Rydia's temple as she smiled, using one arm to hug him by the waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. They walked out of the cavern, still talking about their parents, traditions and Cuore in their way back to the castle, certainly with new thoughts and mixed feelings to deal with from then-on — together.


End file.
